Job not done
yet: Ian

Southampton: England batsman Ian Bell on Monday expressed his delight at scoring his 21st Test hundred, in the third match, versus India, here.

His 167 runs helped the hosts declare at 569 for seven in their first innings and put pressure on the visitors who scored 25 for one at stumps to trail by 544 runs.

“I have felt like I have been playing well and then found some strange ways to get out,” said Bell.

“So it was nice to go through the whole process and get a big hundred. It is frustrating without a big score because the job of the top six batsmen is to score runs. You train hard and you prepare well, but that doesn’t guarantee results.

“The seniors are experienced players and we have to help the younger guys as well. So we have to be contributing both in and out of the dressing room, but on the field it is needed more, and it gets frustrating when that bit doesn’t happen. So it is nice to contribute and see the score at 560-odd declared. However, the job is not done yet,” said Bell.

Bell put on a 106-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Jos Buttler who scored 85. (aGENCIES)